I hope there are some inspiring pictures up after the game of Ryan Garko motoring around LF. I still contend that if Jack Cust can do it, so can Gark.

Carroll and Barfield should have the athleticism to compete at their respective positions for today. For Barfield especially, he has to play well at 3B/SS/OF to make the team. At least two of those three spots IMO.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

Masa was torched today. Crowe with a bomb and a couple hits so far. Barfield hit a HR....many of the kids doing well.

Not much to take from the first game of the spring other than no injuries and hopefully there are none.

Though, I am not a big fan of Masa, so his implosion today just adds more fuel to the fire how much I'd like to see him released. I'd actually like to see both him and Delluci replaced with Crowe and one (both) or Miller/Meloan.

Consigliere wrote:Masa was torched today. Crowe with a bomb and a couple hits so far. Barfield hit a HR....many of the kids doing well.

Not much to take from the first game of the spring other than no injuries and hopefully there are none.Though, I am not a big fan of Masa, so his implosion today just adds more fuel to the fire how much I'd like to see him released. I'd actually like to see both him and Delluci replaced with Crowe and one (both) or Miller/Meloan.

It's a game. Whether it's intrasquad or a regular game, it has a lineup, scorecard, stats and everything. It's been a long freaking time. Thank god it's here.

Skating Tripods wrote:It really didn't take long for Kobayashi to get Hiroshima'd. I hope they get rid of him. I didn't like the signing before and I certainly don't like it now.

Good, I guess, to see Barfield doing well. Maybe it'll up his trade value.

Crowe definitely should be here over Dellucci, though I don't want to slow down his development, unless he is ready to platoon with Francisco.

I agree about Kobyashi. I didn't particularily like the signing from the start. His last season or 2 in Japan was at best, unremarkable. I can actually remember some believing that he might be our closer.

I also agree about Crowe. I'd love to see him win a job, but I can't see it happening. They'll keep Dellucci for at least April and May. And I'm not sure he would exaclty rot on the bench either. I'm pretty sure that if he was kept he'd platoon with Ben and certainly the fact that he would be batting against righties would mean he would be in the lineup probably at least 60% of the time.

It is good to see some of the kids have a good game. We got to remember that pitchers are still playing around to get a feel. Yet, it's not a good sign that the pitchers who have gotten rocked are relievers (Raffy R, Mesa and Meloan). Don't relievers have 2 pitches that they use (one in Raffy's case ... yet Meloan has a full arsenal). How long does it take to get a feel for those 1-2 pitches versus a starter who has 3-4 pitches? At least for a starter, he may get rocked if his curveball/slider doesn't have bite so early in the spring, yet throws a meatball here and there anyway to get it going. Yet, how hard is it for Raffy to throw that fastball on the outside corner.

I would think relievers would have more luck at the start of the season as they don't have much to work on. So, it is more impressive that Rondon and Huff had a good inning each ... especially starting in front of Wedgie trying to earn a spot (at least in Huff's case) so there are some butterflies.

I wonder if the Salas trade and Marte DFA was Wedgie trying to get a spark under some vets like Kobi ... saying that he wasn't impressed with the relievers early on and wanted more competition or with some people's conditioning. I know this is a strech to assume ... yet as mentioned earlier wouldn't it have been easy to put Westbrook on the 60 day DL (as Twins or Royals did a few days later) to get that spot? Just a thought

Steve Buffum wrote:I'm not getting worked up about a pitcher being ineffective on Feb. 24. Geez.

I'm not a fan of No Masa, but to write him off is tantamount to handing Barfield the starting 3B job and expecting 40 bombs because he hit one today. It's Feb. 24.

I agree, the only problem is Masa has a year of suckage under his belt already.

Half a year, really. Before the All-Star Break, Kobayashi held opponents to a .237 batting average, gave up fewer than a hit an inning, sported a 3.05 ERA, and a non-putrid 5.7 K/9. But he made 42 appearances, and that was too many, and he turned into a newt.

Now, the newtian phase of his career may be permanent ... but it may be that he's a fine 6th or 7th man, a guy who can get by with infrequent usage, and actually be effective BECAUSE he's not used a frequently. He might not. We'll see. But I'm not getting out the permanent marker on Feb. 24.

Steve Buffum wrote:I'm not getting worked up about a pitcher being ineffective on Feb. 24. Geez.

I'm not a fan of No Masa, but to write him off is tantamount to handing Barfield the starting 3B job and expecting 40 bombs because he hit one today. It's Feb. 24.

I agree, the only problem is Masa has a year of suckage under his belt already.

Half a year, really. Before the All-Star Break, Kobayashi held opponents to a .237 batting average, gave up fewer than a hit an inning, sported a 3.05 ERA, and a non-putrid 5.7 K/9. But he made 42 appearances, and that was too many, and he turned into a newt.

Now, the newtian phase of his career may be permanent ... but it may be that he's a fine 6th or 7th man, a guy who can get by with infrequent usage, and actually be effective BECAUSE he's not used a frequently. He might not. We'll see. But I'm not getting out the permanent marker on Feb. 24.

But was it a byproduct of tiring out or of the book finally being out on him and hitters adjusting? Then the front office just covering it up by saying he was tired.

They had to know it was coming, so why work him so much before July 1? That makes no sense to me.

Personally, I think he's a mook, to steal a B-List term.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

Steve Buffum wrote:I'm not getting worked up about a pitcher being ineffective on Feb. 24. Geez.

I'm not a fan of No Masa, but to write him off is tantamount to handing Barfield the starting 3B job and expecting 40 bombs because he hit one today. It's Feb. 24.

I don't think anybody on this website is writing off Masa or any player based on how he does this early. I mean you don't see anybody screaming that Barfield should be our 2nd baseman because he hit a HR.

I just think people tend to formulate their opinions even before ST starts. My opinion has been that Masa should have to earn a spot in the bullpen. Others feel he shouldn't have to win the spot.

That's okay. Everybody has their opinions. It's just that mine are always right.

It's good to hear Sowers is doing ok. Usually the hitters have a big advantage early on, as pitchers aren't using their entire repertoire. Also, I'm not sure if this is the case, but I always thought Cactus League games were usually high scoring affairs.